


You Can't Get Water From Stones

by Izzy_89



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Bending (Avatar), Earthbender Tubbo, Family Dynamics, Gen, I'm very scared to post this, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit Friendship, TommyInnit Angst (Video Blogging RPF), no beta we die like wilbur, sleepy bois inc - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:48:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27727064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izzy_89/pseuds/Izzy_89
Summary: Inspired by "Ideas" by always_an_anxious_messThey're a great author, make sure to check them out!Avatar The Last Airbender + MCYTs + DreamSMP = :)Tommy was not supposed to be a waterbender.He is anyways and found out in possibly the worst way possible
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, Eret & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit
Comments: 60
Kudos: 502





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

Tubbo remember the exact day he found out Tommy was a water bender. It was when he was young, young but not young enough to not know what Tommy could do was wrong. 

They had been..maybe 10?, the age of no worries but who could impress the other more. That day, they had been fucking around on the edge of a ravine, the exact ravine that Deo had always said to be careful around. The sun had been beating down on them, causing sweat to roll down their cheeks, but Tubbo had made rudimentary shade so it wasn’t horrible. Tommy hadn’t come near the shade claiming “he was too cool for bending bullshit” and Tubbo had laughed, and settled down on the earth, just enjoying spending time with his friend. 

When the sun was beginning to set, Tommy decided he was down playing on the edge and began walking across the older bridge that (according to legend) Avatar Korra had made for their village after their resistance to the tyrant Kuvira. 

That had been two cycles however, since Korra’s death and as Tommy inched closer and closer to the other side, Tubbo felt the earth pleading with him to "get back get back it's not safe, not safe not strong not safe not safe..."

Tubbo was not a great earthbender, not even the best in the village (that was Eret) but the earth had never lead him wrong before. Tubbo had pushed himself up from beneath his shade to yell at Tommy to "back away from the edge dumb-ass, it doesn’t feel safe!", but just as he opened his mouth to yell, Tommy’s laughter turned to screaming as the bridge snapped in two. 

Tubbo, even now, doesn’t think he’s ever ran so fast. The ravine was deep wasn’t it, if he reached there in time, he could-- he could-- he doesn’t know what he’ll do, but he’ll do something, anything, please Tommy can’t die on him, Tubbo’s the older, he’s the bender, he was supposed to protect Tommy, supposed to keep him safe...

Tubbo practically throws himself over the edge, eyes searching desperately for something that wasn’t rock or metal, something red and blonde and alive.

Rock. 

Dirt. 

Rock.

Lava.

Cave opening.

Old bits of bridge.

Dirt.

Rock. 

Water.

More bits of that damned bridge. 

Dirt.

.....

Wait, water? 

Forcing his bleary eyes to focus, Tubbo saw a spring that certainly had not been there before bubbling steadily through a large rock in the rock. And bobbing on top of the water…

“Tommy!” Tubbo yells, voice echoing on its way down. The red and white blob moves.

“Big T?” A voice responds and Tubbo collapses back against the ledge, legs too shaky to keep him upright.

“Big T?” Tommy asks again. “Did you see the shit luck? I was basically across, Korra’s an anti-bender! She didn’t want a non-bender to use her bridge, that bitch!”

Tubbo laughs, but it's shaky, broken by the tears that escaped his eyes. 

"I see that Toms! You okay?"

"Oh, I'm fucking fantastic, big man! This water's great, I would have jumped in earlier if I had known it was here!" Tommy responds. "Think you can like...zoom me back up though?" 

Tubbo's euphoria comes to an abrupt end. "Zoom you up?" 

"Yeah, just do some," Tubbo hears faint splashing. "and up I go! There's enough earth right?" 

"Tommy, I'm not Eret." Tubbo mutters, scanning the landscape from any sort of platform he could jump onto to get closer to Tommy. There's nothing however, all the walls smoothed from eons of rainwater rubbing against them.

"Well no shit man, I'd be pretty pissed if you were blind and just pretending to be impressed at all the cool shit I made." Tommy replied. "But what does Eret have to do with anything? Just bend me up!"

"I can't!" Tubbo said, panic re-building. "I can barely make shade, I can't attempt to reach you all the way down there, I could hurt you!" 

"I trust you, big T!" Tubbo could hear the confidence in Tommy's voice.

"I don't trust me!" Tubbo replied. "Tommy, are you like...chilling down there? I might need to get someone."

"No no no no, you can't just do it yourself?" Panic has entered Tommy's voice. "Like, I can totally tread all day, no problem there, but like...you can't do it yourself?"

"Tommy, you swear you're not hurt?" Tubbo asked.

"Positive!" 

"Then why do you care?" Tubbo said, panic turning to irritation. It had been a good day, a great day, and now his best friend had basically charged into death's door and now decided he liked the decor and wanted to go back. 

There's a long pause. Too long of a pause.

"Tommy?" 

"Tommy? Can you hear me? Are you okay?"

"Tommy please!"

"I'm sorry!" Tommy's voice finally replied. "I just..." 

Tubbo waited.

"....DeosaidnottogoonthebridgesonowI'mscrewed." Tommy muttered, shame evident in his voice. 

"What?" Tubbo asked.

"Deo said not to go on the bridge okay?" There was a longer pause.

"...."

"...."

"I'm getting Eret."

"Good idea." 

It took Eret, Deo, and Luke over an hour to properly get Tommy out of the ravine, an operation that become more and more frantic as the sun got lower and lower. By the time Tommy was finally able to be dragged up from the ravine, Tubbo, Bitzel, and Niki had had to set up a torch grid to stop any monsters from messing up Eret's concentration. 

They had immediately rushed Tommy to the town medic, worries of hyperthermia and overworked muscles and developing flu at the forefront of everyone's mind. To the shock of everyone however, Tommy was not only fine, but the scabs that decorated his legs from his numerous..."adventures"...

(“Haven’t you been listening, old man?! I survived a massive hoard of zombies, I know you think I could come out of that unscathed, I normally could, but Tubbo here slowed me down, we had to go back and make sure he had his sword.”)

...had completely vanished. Rumors covered the city for weeks afterwards, rumors of Korra blessing their little adventurer to the water being magic to Tommy and Tubbo having staged the whole thing. Tommy and Tubbo however know the deeper truth, the taboo truth that people did not even mention.

The truth went like this:

1) That ravine was at an angle, there was no way for there to be resting water there. 

2) The only way that water could have been there to stop Tommy's death was if Tommy had bent it there

3) The only way Tommy could be a water-bender is if his father was a water bender

and finally...

4) The only water bender that had ever passed their town had killed Tommy's parents.


	2. Chapter 1: Who the Hell are the Sleepy Bois

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tommy decides drowning is the best way to win hide and seek, wells are talking to Wilbur, and Techno is annoyed to find that out that there is no orphanages in Termez.
> 
> Guysss, I've gotten more support on this fanfic than people have ever given me for anything in my life. Thank each and every one of you so so much; y'all legit made my month.

The day the Sleep Bois arrived in town, Tommy got himself stuck in a well. It wasn’t his fault in the slightest; he, Tubbo, Deo, and Bitzel were playing hide and seek, and Tommy, having LOST the other two rounds--

(“You can’t lose at hide and seek; that’s the whole fucking purpose, Tommy!” Luke yells. 

“Purpled won one time!” Tommy bickered. “You all said so!” Luke takes a deep breath like it is physically paining him to explain this. 

“Purpled almost killed himself cause he earthbent himself into the ground and couldn’t get out!” 

“Yeah, but we said he won when we couldn’t find him!” Tommy maintained. 

“Tommy, I swear to fuck”)

\-- going to win this round. After all, no one would think to look in the well; therefore, it was the perfect hiding place! Such simple logic, but then this absolute asshole called Wilbur had to mess it up. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Shit!” 

Wilbur just wanted water, but apparently, even that was too much to ask for. He, Phil, and Techno had been trying to find a village for days now after getting chased out of the last one, and Wilbur had been foolish enough to think that their luck was going to change when they found one. 

To Wilbur’s credit, there was not much they could get chased out of this village for, by the look of it. It was small and simple, with ravines slashing across the place, separating the town into many floating islands, all connecting via strong stone bridges with an obscene amount of supports. There weren’t any wanted posters, no burn marks smudging the wall...the place looked maybe even dormant? If it weren’t for the people that had waved at them happily as they passed, Wilbur would have thought Termez was abandoned.

Maybe this village should have been, though. Monsters groaned from the deep dark abyss, and faint boxed torches didn’t do much to light up the sharp, stone edges illuminated by the beating sun. Voices carried from all around, never leaving a second of silence for your ears to rest. The air smelled of smoke and petrichor, giving the impression that the whole city was in an underground cavern rather than in open to the atmosphere. 

Intricate stonework decorated the towering building; due to lack of physical space, it appears Termez had climbed to the stars instead of expanding. Color, mostly muted reds, greens, and a dark indigo shade of purple speckled the buildings, but most were unforgiving gray. On top of it all, a penetrating heat clung to everything, making Wilbur feel like he’s walked through a hot mist that’s clinging to him at all time. 

After approximately 5 minutes of wandering, the Sleepy Bois knew they would not be staying for long. Termez wasn’t a hostile village, but that had never really been a problem for them anyways. They could fight and take negative opinions. What the Sleepy Bois couldn’t take apparently was the feeling of claustrophobia Termez emitted, and with the sound echoing, Wilbur knew Techno had maybe five days before his instincts drove him mad. 

Still, Termez was one of the few that didn’t have wanted pictures of Techno covering the wall and certainly one of the few where people had looked at them neutrally, or even happily. It was the perfect place to restock on weapons and other materials that often gave them suspicious looks, and so, the sleepy Bois had split up, deciding to meet back at the considerable twisting...thing? sculpture at the largest island in a few hours. 

(It didn’t matter how many villages the Sleepy Bois entered; they had never found one not worth exploring. Even in this place, the alleys had already caught Phil’s attention. 

“The air current’s mate, they’ll be sick! You reckon they’ll let me fly around here? Elytra’s still in fairly good condition.”

Techno snorted. “Even if they said no, you think anyone in here could stop you?”)

Wilbur reckoned that Phil had gone to the head of the village to ask for shelter or food or whatever they needed while Techno had gone to “make sure there isn’t an orphanage.” Techno did that at every village they went to, and by this point, Wilbur feels like he’s lost the window of opportunity to ask him why the fuck he does. 

For the first year or so after Phil and Techno had picked him up from his crappy fire nation village, Wilbur had been practically too scared to say a word out of line, convinced that was somehow tricking them into thinking he was valuable. 

Young, idiot Wilbur (as Wilbur likes to call his younger self) never considered that his charisma, his leadership, every part of him that made him him was what they had chosen him for and not his high-ranking parents. Young idiot Wilbur was somehow convinced that the second his “shameful” non-bending was revealed, Phil and Techno would leave him behind like trash. 

That misconception, even now, plagued him. There had to be a way to make sound legal money here, right? With all the sound echoing, he’d probably have good acoustics. A well would be an excellent place to set up, with the heat that pressed down here. The goal in mind, he had, very politely, asked the first person he ran into the directions to the well and had just pulled the lever that was supposed to lower a bucket so he could get himself a drink before warming up. 

And then the well yelled at him. 

“Dude, the fuck?! I secured the bucket, what the hell?” The well’s talking ripped Wilbur back from his tangent and into his current predicament. Could it be a Redstone trick, maybe? The heat causing him to hallucinate? 

Wilbur’s ramblings increased as he slowly saw the bucket rise from the well, like some freaky demon shit.

“What the hell...I’ve lost it. I’ve finally lost it; took 21 years, but great job Wilbur, you’ve finally lost it.” The bucket freezes then disappear, splashing back into the well. 

“Wilbur?! What kind of stupid-ass name is Wilbur?” That’s...that’s a kid. A kid. In the well? There’s a kid in the well. Oh fuck, there’s a kid in the well. Wilbur scrambles up from where he had fallen over (he had been shocked, okay? Wells. Don’t. Talk.) and peers over the edge of the well. There, 7 feet down, with his back against one wall and his legs keeping him steady, was a blonde soaked kid, who looked maybe 13...and he was PISSED. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The little shit’s name is Tommy, and Wilbur’s never understood Techno’s hatred for children so clearly in his life. Tommy hadn’t shut up since Wilbur had saved his life, but it had not been hero-worship, oh no. The kid wouldn’t stop insulting him.

“--earing me, big man? Your hair...your hair’s disgusting and you’re small and-and I bet you have no friends! Unlike me. Yep, unlike me. I’ve got a ton of friends, more than you can possibly imagine!”

“Yes, yes I have no friends, none at all.” Wilbur agreed, trying to understand what Tommy found small about being 6 foot 5. “Look kid--”

“--I’m not a fucking kid! Screw you, rat man.”

“Rat man?” Wilbur inquired. “Why rat man?”

“Cause you’re an earth bender! And rats are in earth and yeah! I mean, you couldn’t be anything else ‘less you’re a traveler, and even then, you’d probably be earth bender cause Termez is in the middle of fucking nowhere in the Earth Kingdom.” Tommy said as if it was common knowledge.

“Well, I’m not an earthbender, Tommy.” Wilbur said, far too pleased the conversation was turning away from insulting his appearance. Not that he’s self-conscious. Not at all.

“Oh, so you’re either a firebender or an air-ie. Nothing great ‘bout either of those, though I guess I’ll respect you a little more if you’re a firebender cause then you can light Deo’s hair on fire. Could you do that for me?” 

“What no, I cant light ‘Deo’s’ hair on fire. And you forgot one dunderhead, I could be a waterbender, you know.” Wilbur said with a laugh. 

“No you couldn’t.” Tommy replied. Wilbur could feel his brain rotting away. He’s got to find someplace, someone to take this gremlin off his hands.

“And why not then, Tommy? Despite popular belief, there can be--”

“You can’t be a waterbender cause then I’d have to kill you.” Tommy said simply. Wilbur froze.

“You’d have to what?” 

“I’d have to kill you.” Tommy repeated. “It doesn’t matter though, I bet you’re a shit bender, no matter what you bend. Also, who the fuck uses dunderhead? What Wilbur, did you get frozen in an iceberg for 100-” 

“I’m not a bender.” Wilbur said simply, trying to ignore the fact that this child so easily claimed they would commit genocide if given the option.

“Wait what?” Tommy asked. “You sure? You’ve got that stupid…’better than you’ air that I get from benders and shit. Except Tubbo. Big T’s the man, stuck by me even with some shitheads tried to tease me about my non-bending.” 

“You’re not a bender?” Wilbur interrupted. 

“Course not! God knew I’d be too fucking powerful if I could bend, had to give the rest of the world an advantage you know?” Tommy shot Wilbur a smirk as he said this, as if daring him to disagree. Wilbur however was in shock. In Shiono, non-benders were viewed as weak, worthless, as the people who were too dumb and stupid to inherent bending. Wilbur had grown up in this mentality, and based on what Tommy said about bullying, he had too. But while Wilbur had processed this as self-hatred, this kid had made it a strength. 

“Yeah,” Wilbur agreed softly. “The spirits must have known we’d be too powerful.” Tommy blinked.

“No way! You’re a nonbender too?” The child sounded ecstatic at that, before his noise wrinkled. Wilbur braced himself. “Why is your aura so shit then?” And there is was.

“Cause you’re here.” Wilbur shot back. Tommy spluttered angrily. 

“Cause I”M here?! Oh, you shithead, I’d have you know that my aura is fantastic, no better than fantastic, its pogchamp--.” Tommy yelled.

“Pogchamp? The hell is a pog--”

“You know, I go to up to women and the first thing they say is “wow Tommy! You’ve got an amazing aura!” And its true, who are you to judge auras, flame-head? I bet you’ve never been around an aura as good as mine, you’re just in shock--”

It was going to be a long night for Wilbur Soot.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Excuse me sir, have you seen a feral child? Blonde, male, wearing a red shirt, probably cussed you out if you saw him?” 

Of all the questions Phil expected the child to ask him, this was not one of them. The kid (who looked about 13) who still looking imploringly at him as if this question was common place. Considering the fact that none of the adults had flinched or looked even remotley surprised by this, it must be. 

“Err..no, I haven’t. I can ask my companions if they have though; I’m meeting back up with them in a hour or so if you still haven’t found him by then. What’s his name?” The kid shrugged. 

“Sure, that’d be helpful! His name’s Tommy--mine’s Tubbo--and we were playing hide and seek, and well, we can’t find him.” Tubbo gestured to a group of kids behind him, about five or so boys all in various states of disarray. 

“You can’t find him mate? Shouldn’t that be of bigger concern--the sun looks like it’ll be setting soon.” Phil murmured, but Tubbo just gave him a smile. 

“Tommy just gets real competitive with hide and seek, don’t worry! If we can’t find him by nightfall, we’ll just ask Eret or Niki for help--don’t worry too much sir! Tommy’s gotten himself in hundreds of bad situations and he’s always turned out fine!” Phil laughed. 

“If you’re positive Tubbo, I’ll take your word for it.” Just then, something vibrated in pocket of his haori (it hadn’t had pockets when he had been given it, but desperate times called for desperate measures). Taking it out, Phil’s eyebrows rose when he saw not one, not three, but seventeen new messages on his communicator. His forehead creased when he saw that sixteen of them were from Wilbur. Swiping aside Techno’s “they don’t have an orphanage, I reckon they take a lead from my book and rid themselves of the pests,” Phil scrolled up and up, apprehension building. Wilbur barely used the communicator, preferring to save it “emergencies only.” 

Wilby: Phil, I’m going to find a well, may be late to meeting place

Wilby: I found a child what do I do

Wilby: it was in a well; why was it in a well 

Wilby: Phil what do I do with a gremlin shit that was hiding in a well 

Wilby: Phil please it’s cussing at me

Wilby: PHIL

Wilby: Phil, you said you’d always be there for me what have I done

Wilby: Phil we have to leave town tonight I can’t live with this little shit 

Wilby: He’s an orphan reckon I can get Tech to kill him for me 

Wilby: PHIL he found the commincator help

Wilby: adkfhhgiphdgghebtb 

Wilby: aajndghiadhufpdfhpa

Wilby: HI, MY NAME IS TOMMY IM VERY COOL AND AWESOME WHAT DOES THIS THING DO 

Wilby: Voice memo lasting 1: 56 minutes. Listen now? 

Wilby: Phil, I got it back thank fuck

Wilby: Phil, I’m heading to the statue early meet me there

_Phil stared at the messages. Blinked. Re-read them just to confirm that their Wil, their chaotic yet chill, hit-emotions-with-a-guitar-instead-of-dealing-with-them Wilbur had somehow picked up a child. Not just any child either, but “a feral one who’s likely to cuss him out.”_

_“Welp, Termez is rounding up to be an experience huh?” Phil muttered. “Tubbo! Kids!” Said kids all turned to look at him. As ridiculous as the situation was, Phil couldn’t help but smile at the site. Unlike his companions, Phil liked kids and these bunch, although definitely not like the kids at the West Air Temple, seem like generally good ones._

_“My pal Wilbur found your friend Tommy. He’s by the statue on the main island. Apparently he was in a well?” He trailed off. The kids all groan like they missed an easy answer on a test._

_“He was in a well, of course Tommy got in a fucking well, what did we expect?”_

_“WOW, and now guys, does my idea of looking in the blacksmith doesn’t seem to unreasonable huh?”_

_“We have to put a limit on the islands we can hide on, holy shit.”_

_“How the hell did he expect to get out?”_

_“You think Tommy thinks that far ahead?”_

_“You think Tommy THINKS, Purpled?”_

_“In a well, urgh, that’s genius!”_

_Oh god, Tommy’s never gonna let us forget this, fuuuuuck.”_

_As the boys dissolve into banter and talk, Tubbo separates himself and comes back to Phil._

_“Where did you say he was again, Mr…?”_

_“Phil,” Phil answers. “And on the statue on the biggest...do we call it an island? The silver one with red-”_

_“--accents?” Tubbo finished. Phil nodded, and Tubbo relaxes._

_“I know where that is, want a guide? Based on your...wings? I’d guess you’re new in town.” Tubbo tried to unsuccessfully look at them without Phil noticing. Phil smiles. He’s always been a little too proud of Elytra, the design he patterned when he left the air temple. Every person who chose to not become a monk was allowed to create a custom item to bring with them as they left. Most airbenders chose wooden statues or paintings, but Phil had created and taken with wing design. It had been a long process, with far too many close calls (airbenders weren't supposed to fly and falling out of the sky is painful) and a long search for the right materials, but it was worth it. Oh, how it was worth it._

_“I’d love a guide mate. Let's go get your friend; apparently he’s annoying Wilbur to death.” Tubbo grinned._

_"Yeah, Tommy does tend to do that."_

_\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

_Termez is not a bad village, if you are a farmer, earthbender or merchant. Tommy is none of those things._

_It is a calm, quiet place, in which people rarely leave and never join. The last person who left was Niki, a year ago, when she was summoned to rejoin the Kyoshi Warriors. Niki had been their deadliest, so she never stayed on the island; the warriors knew from the tales of Suki never to let all your warriors be captured at once. She had been summoned to train the avatar, the rumors whispered. Most people paid them no mind._

_Like Niki, the city may be small, but it is hardy. It was survived floods and droughts, earthquakes and avalanches. It has been abandonded and rebuilt. It (and she) will return when fate tells of it._

_The people are also nice, if you do not disturb them._

_There's only ever been 5 people who have attempted to disturb Termez: the firebender with no arms, the earthbending tyrant with metal gloves, the two nonbenders who tried to scam them off their land, and the waterbender._

_No one has tried since._

_Termez is not a bad village, if you do not make a fuss._

_Tommy was destined to leave it eventually._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the ending stinks but I've rewritten it like 7 different times and that is as good as it is going to be. 
> 
> We'll start with Techno's POV next time as well as more of Tommy's. I legit went "yes, TommyInnit. I watch a bunch of his stuff, I'll be able to write him well." and then wrote a majority of this in Wilbur's POV.
> 
> Also, Tommy speaks in comma-splices and Grammarly wants me dead for that.


	3. Chapter 2: In Which Many People Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to put this work on hai--
> 
> SIKE
> 
> Guess who forgot their password like an absolute dumbass :D
> 
> Take this longer chapter as in apology please.

“What do you mean you ‘don’t have availability’?” Wilbur demanded. “We’re the only guests here!”

After dropping gremlin child off with his friends (who seemed much more mild-mannered, why did  _ Wilbur _ always attract the crazy ones?), Techno and Wilbur had set off to get a room at the hotel while Phil continued his talk with the Termez’s officials.

It was a lovely little inn, with a burning fireplace in one corner and narrow stone steps winding up to the upper floors. Compared to other places the Sleep Bois had stayed in, this inn was practically heaven. The problem was they might not even be staying in it.

“I’m so sorry, sir.” The woman at the front desk said. She’s got vibrant pink hair similar to Techno’s shade, and if they weren’t looking for a place to sleep, Wilbur would have asked her about it. Techno needed more dye.

“We only have two rooms as we got rid of the rest of them for space cause no one uses them, and well, they’re both full tonight.” Techno and Wilbur exchange glances. 

“Full with who?! According to the people we’ve asked, we-” Wilbur gestured to himself and Techno. “-are some of the first visitors you’ve had in forever! Is there really no way we can get a room; even a shack will work.” The woman (Lizzie, according to her name tag) shrugged apologetically. 

“The larger room is bought by a couple with young kids, the Hudsons. Their son just started bending; I’m sure you get that. You could try asking them if they’d trade, but many families like renting out that room.” That makes sense, Wilbur mused. It wasn’t uncommon for families with young benders to rent out other rooms, so they would have a place to sleep or just quiet if they needed it in case of emergencies. 

“What about the other room, ma’am?” Techno asked. The women hesitated.    
  
“Well, you see--”   
  
“LIZZIIEE WHY ISN’T THE WATER WORKING!” 

“You’ve gotta be shitting me,” Wilbur whispered as to his absolute horror, Tommy charges down the stone steps, practically barreling them over in his rush. 

“TOMMY! Be careful, you gremlin; we have visitors!” Lizzie scolded. Tommy stuck his tongue out at her before turning to observe them. His eyes light up in manic happiness.

“Rat man! Dickhead! You’re back! The fuck are you doing at my house, though?”  _ His _ house? Wilbur and Techno just stare. Tommy huffs angrily. 

“Lizzie, why are there ugly strangers invading my property?” Tommy questioned. Lizzie lets out a long sigh.   
  
“Tommy, this is  **my** inn.” Lizzie clarifies with enough bite to her voice for Wilbur to know that they’ve had this conversation many times before. “I know you act like you own this place, but--”

“I DO own this place!” 

Wilbur came to a sudden realization. Tommy had earlier told him proudly that he was an orphan--

(“Too big for parents, you know? I’m cooler without ‘em anyways.”)

\--and Techno had confirmed that there was not an orphanage, much to his disappointment. So if Tommy was an orphan that wasn’t living in an orphanage, it was a stretch, but…

“Tommy, do you live here?” Wilbur asked. Tommy paused.

“Yep! Right up there,” he gestured to the staircase he had nearly fallen off of earlier. “I have the smallest room cause Lizzie and Joel are dicks and won’t let me have the big one. I repay ‘em in working here, though! Tubbo’s Big Crime, not me, you know! I could never be a scammer. They call me TrustyTommy I’m so reliable.” 

“THIS,” Lizzie interjected, pointing at Tommy. “Is why the second room is full. I would normally say just take his room-”   
  
“Hey!” Tomy protested. Lizzie ignored him   
  
“-But we as a town owe, if not him, then his parents, and we can’t exactly be kicking minors out of their homes. Besides, there’s three of you by what I heard, and that room barely holds one.” Owe his parents? Tommy’s dead parents? Before Wilbur can quite work out the logic there, Tommy cuts in.

“Could they stay in Niki’s old place? It’s got enough space, and they’ll have someone there just in case the rock collapses or something.” Lizzie’s face turned contemplative. 

“You think he would let them stay?” Tommy shrugged. 

“I mean, as long as they don’t bre--” 

“Boys! I found us a place to stay!” Phil’s voice pulls Wilbur out of his slump as the small wooden door is opened with force (though not enough to slam it. WIlbur will never let Techno live down the time he slammed up an inn down, and ended up having to pay for the wall damage).

Wilbur, Tommy, Techno, and Lizzie all turn to see Phil framed in the doorway, backed by three people: a tall man with black sunglasses and an intricate silver crown on his head, an older gentleman with graying hair and a stern face, and finally, a kid who doesn’t look older than 15 dressed in shades of purple. The purple seems almost out of place in the silver and gray town, but they compliment his shocking purple eyes. 

“Eret, there wasn’t any space available with the Hudson’s available,” Lizzie states apologetically. The crowned man smiles. 

“Don’t worry about it. Gray’s son offered to let them stay with him in Niki’s old place as long as their airbender can help him modify the older bridges. He can fly, isn’t that cool, Lizzie?” Eret says. Phil puffs a little with pride. 

Alrighty then,” Tommy interjects with a cheeky smile. “That’s all done. Now.” He turns back to Wilbur, the smile growing. “Get out of my house bitchboy!”

Phil has to physically restrain Wilbur from attacking the brat. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gray’s son (or Purpled as he prefers to be called) was a fairly good host. The food was simple but hearty and the rooms were all heated by fireplaces and candles. Most importantly to Techno, however, the rooms were soundproof and the ringing stopped. Fire, and a soundproof room--what more could a man want?   
  
Wilbur and Phil were still talking to Purpled, questioning him about the town and inhabitants. Techno however had decided that he didn’t really need to know anything more than he knew. Earthbending town, middle of no-where, small, probably been a few...accidents based on the kiddy rails on the bridges. Nothing extraordinary. Better yet, nothing threatening. 

Purpled had led him to a guest room (technically all these rooms were guest rooms, Techno reasoned, but these were THE guest rooms) and since returned to Phil and Wilbur. It was, like everything in this house, small but homey. Safe--not really safe, there’s no such thing, but giving off the impression of that.

Techno looks around the room before his eyes settle on a set of bookcases, dusty from misuse. Before meeting Phil, Techno had considered going into the literacy arts. Before...everything, it was one of his favorites. Crouching, he rubs anyway the dirt carefully before reading the titles. 

‘A Beginner’s Guide to Building + Redstone.’

‘Calculus.’

‘How Kuvira Conquered the Earth Kingdom...and How She Lost it.’

‘Earthbending by Eret.’ (That book was home-made, Techno notes, and the most well used by far.)

‘Defending Your Builds Against Bats, Creepers, and Other Dangerous Pests.’   
  
‘A Detailed History of Ravines: How to Find Them, Climb Them, and Make Them Accessible.’

“He’s a nerd,” Techno whispered under his breath, straightening up after finding nothing of interest. A flip through the other cabinets also prove to be unsuccessful, and Techno is convinced that he would be better just going to sleep before his eyes catch on a newspaper propped up on the side table.

Techno reads the title, and his brows furr. He reads the date. Rereads the date. And suddenly too many things make sense. 

“Purpled, what’s today's date and who is the leader of the Earth Kingdom?” The group startles slightly when Techno joins, but settles back into relaxation quickly. Purpled looks at Techno quizzically. 

“You’re literally holding a newspap--”   
  


“This one? The one from-” Techno peers at the date again. “341 AD?” Phil’s eyes widen in shock and Purpled looks taken aback.    
  
“Well, I mean, that IS the year here….why? I mean, it takes a couple of days for our news to arrive here because we’re one of the only permanent settlements around here…” He trails off as they all turn to look at him. Techno catches Wilbur’s eye, blown wide with astonishment and shock. 

_ No wonder they weren’t caught, _ Techno mused.  _ This town doesn’t even know who we are.  _ Purpled looks across the table at them, hackles and anxiety rising at the stunned expression he sees reflected to him.

“Guys seriously? What’s so wrong wi--” Purpled demanded, but Phil raises a hand in both a placating and demanding wait. 

“Mate, when was the last time a tax collector or something similar came to this town? Do you keep records of that kind of thing?” Purpled frowned. 

“I believe they came like once? I haven’t lived here my whole life, but I got left here when I was like 2 so I can say it’s not common or anything.” Techno’s confusion grew greater. An Earth Kingdom town in a ravine surrounded by resources that wasn’t being taxed to hell and back like every other town they had passed? A town receiving news so so late that hadn’t seen visitors in literal decades but that someone had abandoned a kid in? 

“Kid have you heard of Dream?” Techno asked. 

“Like...dream as in a thing you have when you’re asleep?” Purpled responded, perplexing. 

“Dream as in the AVATAR? You haven’t heard of the Avatar?” Wilbur said in shock. 

“Of course I’ve heard of the avatar, I’m not a fucking idiot!” Purpled snapped. “But what happened then to what’s her name, Yangdon? The air nomad?” 

“Yangdon’s been dead for decades!” Wilbur exclaned. “They were the first killed by the AB, how do you not--”   
  
“No, he’s technically right,” Techno interrupted. “Yangdon WAS the avatar in 341 AD, not know of course--”   
  
“But then what reality are we talking were--”   
  
“Guys…”   
  
“No idea. Plus the Earth Kingdom’s way too capitalistic not to ignore a tow--”   
  
“GUYS.”

“That’s why I preach anarchy--”   
  
“No one gives a shit what you preach you pi--”   
  
“CAN ONE OF YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THE FUCK YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT.” Purpled, of all people, yells, cutting off Techno and Wilbur mid-fight. Purpled took a deep breath, steadying himself again. 

“This is my house god-damn it, so you’re going to explain what the hell you’re ruining my night raving about or I’ll kick you out.” 

Phil started. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“So,” Purpled started in a deadest voice he possibly could. “Not only is the year 478 AD, NOT 341 AD, but the avatar has apparently been HUNTED for the last 100 or so years cause the governments all believed there was no need for the avatar so THAT’S what caused all these damn mobs?” 

“I mean...basically yeah.” Phil answers. “But it’s not your fault in any way for not knowing, kid.” Purpled shrugs, eyes still a bit misted. 

“And Dream wears a mask and goes by Dream so no one can figure out where he’s from?” Phil nods. 

“And so the next generation of avatars can be protected--even if the government’s are never able to catch Dream (and trust me they’ve tried to), as long as they know where he comes from, they could kill the next avatar the  _ second _ Dream died.” Phil explained gravely. 

“And no one like...opposed this, at least originally? No one batted an eye at all this?” Purpled asks, slumping back in his chair. Wilbur shrugged, harsh shadows drawn across his face by the dying candlelight. 

“I mean, I’m sure many people today find it terrible, but if you want to take a trip to Lake Laogai, be my guest. Rumor is they’ve started using the lake again to train soldiers to fight the avatar and his friends.” Wilbur sighed. 

“I’m just...confused on how this town ended up….abandoned for lack of the better word. I mean, there are still people in it, that’s for sure, but abandoned by the rest of the world. Does Termez even get mobs?” Purpled peeked up at that, pleased that finally he could hold a stake in the conversation.

“We torch-lit this whole place up so no mobs can spawn here, except on a couple of the roofs. Eret uses them for earthbending training and loot and whatever else they decide for them.” Purpled paused then, deep in thought. 

  
“There ARE a ton in the ravine though, according to Tommy. I mean, you should probably never trust anything Tommy says, but he is the only one to survive falling into the ravine so…” 

“Someone fell  **_in_ ** ?!” Phil gasped in horror. “How the fuck did he survive? That’s like a 50 foot drop or some shit; fall damage alone, even into water, should have fucked him up!” 

“Idiot was overconfident. You would thinking falling would teach him something, but it just made him dumber cause,” Purpled pitched his voice up, so it became higher and slightly squeaky, “The water caught me before, the water’ll catch me again!” 

Purpled laughed. “For someone who lost everything to water, Toms awfully trusting of it.”

‘Awfully trust of it,’ Wilbur muses, thinking back the small boy in the well, sitting easily on top of the water, as if it were solid, 

thinks of the way the water in the fountain had wrapped around Tommy instead of parting like normal, the way it almost seemed to cradle him like air hugs Phil when he flies and torches lean instinctively to Techno as he passed

Thinks of the way that the water in the city--in the puddles, the fountains, the AIR--seemed to hum full of voices when he stood next to Tommy, the way the campfire’s crackle transform into words when Techno sits near them and the wind whispers words not whistles when he stands on mountains with Phil. 

Thinks of eyes far too blue for a city so bleak. And an attitude too harsh to be an earthbender’s calmness and a stance too flighty to be an earthbender’s solid posture.

Wilbur thinks, yet speaks not a word of it, even when he wishes Phil and Techno goodnight and especially not when he sees a shadow disappear into the ravine. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tommy is not lonely and he will physically fight any dickhead who tries to say he is. He’s fine, better than fine actually! Everyone in the town likes him, or they secretly think, Tommy tells himself. After all, they wouldn’t have kept him if they didn’t like him. 

That being said, nothing (except Tubbo of course) can compare to Stream. 

_ Hi! _

_  
_ _  
_ _ Hello you dickhead _

_ The child’s back pog  _

_ New people new people  _

_ There’s strangers in town  _

_ Rob them  _

_ Kill them  _

_ Don’t kill them  _

_ Hi Tommy!!! _

  
  


Tommy does not remember when he realized that stream was an actual thing in life and not a symptom of what Lizzie calls “trauma” (Tommy can’t have trauma, he’s too cool for trauma, he may have nightmares and shit, but he doesn’t have  _ trauma _ ) but he knows they’re great. 

MOST of the time, he just runs a bath and dunks himself under for a while until he can hear clearly, but the damn hot water is broken so Tommy did the next best thing and chucked himself off a cliff. Into the water. And his head is filled with SOUND. 

The advantage of ravine Stream, as he likes to call it, is that they’ve got all the gossip. All the water in the town eventually runs into the ravine, before being recycled back through fancy-smancy machines into the city.    
  
(The machine’s aren’t that cool in Tommy’s humble opinion. He broke into one once and there was just a bunch of compost.)

Today however, Stream is overwhelmed with the news of the newcomers, so it’s LOUD.

_ New people, new people!! _

_  
_ _  
_ _ No waterbenders pog _

_ Guitar man is weird _

_ New people staying with Gray’s Son  _

_ He goes by Purpled you asshole  _

_ Strangers, strangers, Eret was shocked by them  _

_ Pog  _

_ One’s got pink hair, that absolute loser  _

_ New people to prank epicccc _

  
  


Sup Stream, calm yourself for fuck’s sake, I know there’s new people! Tommy said with a laugh, or rather a thought of a laugh. The first time Tommy had tried talking back to Stream--they had wanted to be called Chat then, but they’re in WATER, they can be Stream--Tommy thought he had to actually talk and almost drowned, much to Stream’s displeasure and panic. 

_ Rude  _

_ Meaninnit  _

_ New people news? _ _  
  
_

_ Hello Tomathy! _ _  
_ _  
_ _ Tomathy  _

_ Tomathy  _

_ Tomathy  _

_ Tomathyinnit pog  _

Oh FUCK no Stream, we better not be talking about fucking Tomathyinnit again. Tommy snapped and the Stream filled with laughter. 

Shaking his head, then willing his muscles to relax, Tommy feels himself sink deeper into both the water and stream itself. Words become clearer and vice versa, as moonlight struggles harder and harder to be seen. 

The first time he had ventured back into the ravine at night (can’t have nobody seeing you) Tommy had been terrified of the way light slowly but surely floats away. He had convinced himself that he was going to drown, to die, that his luck had run out and he would die to water just like his parents--

He hadn't though. The water had filtered around his, giving him more than enough air to breathe, though not enough so that he couldn’t hear them. He did not know how it OR Steam worked--

( he did, he  **DID** ,  **HE DID** , and hates himself for it so so much, he wants to throw himself into bruning fire or off the cliff or something anything, but he can’t admit it, won’t admit it, wiLL  **NEVER ADMIT IT** .)

\--but they’re funny and not smart and they post Tommy’s ego so who is he to hate them? He can always mute them too, he just needs to think hard enough about it and the voices fade.

_ Did you ever end up winning hide-and-seek?  _

DID I EVER--Alright, listen here Stream, I’ve got a story to tell you, you guys won’t BELI--

Tommy Innit is not lonely. He has friends,  no family and a town that tolerates him. Tommy is not lonely, and surrounded by voices, it’s hard to imagine that he ever was. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epilogue:   
  
Phil wakes up in a cold sweat, with a scream on the tip of his tongue from something he can’t remember. Trying desperately to calm his heart rate, Phil looks round the room, checking things off his mental list as he goes.

Elytra? Check; on the edge of his mattress

Escape route? Check; door not locked, window open and big enough to fit through easily

Techno? Check; On the bed, snoozing away, blade clutched in his right hand, which is resting on the pillow. 

Fire? Check; Small candle with a soft flickering flame--proof Techno’s safe and unbothered in his sleep

Wilbur? Check; on the other mattress, curled up like a massive cat. 

Everyone’s safe. Everyone’s stable. Phil stands up, and opens the window. A faint breeze is drifting through Termez, and Phil reaches up and connects to his Breeze momentarily, muting it almost instantly after Breeze sleepily says hi and shows no signs of panic. 

‘What WAS that?’ Phil murmured to himself. He almost never had nightmares, and rarely any that wake him in such a panic. The last time he had one was--

Zombie, baby zombie, charge, blade, Techno, hurt hurt hurt HURT, run Wil nice calm hurt hurt panic death death is coming r U N

  
“Phil?” Wilbur’s sleepy voice rips Phil from his memories and Phil turns to give Wil a sleepy smile. 

“Wilbur. Hey. Everything okay mate?” Wilbur hummed and nestled back under his cover. 

“It’s cold as hell. Close the window Phil.” Signing, Phil gently closes the window (anything louder would awaken Techno) and moves back to bed before a thought grasps him.

“Wil? We did take everyone off our tracks right?” 

“Of course we did Phil,” Wilbur replied sleepily, but with sincerity. “Besides, who could find us out here? We won’t even be here for long anyways?”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   
  


Thousands of miles away, a man wearing green and a smiley face receives a message on his communicator. 

{URSUS: THEY’VE FOUND HIM. PERMISSION TO MOVE?}   
{DREAM: PERMISSION GRANTED. STAY SAFE}


End file.
